DIY Stamps from Cardboard

Refashion cardboard into DIY stamps and make your own collagraph prints.

This engaging (and very photogenic) at-home craft turns simple household items into art that will brighten up your house, fridge or a friend’s day. Repurpose cardboard from an Amazon order or Costco run to make a 3D stamp, or collagraph, to print on paper for cards. It may take some experimentation and play to see what works best! Pro tip: Simpler, bigger shapes work better than smaller, more detailed shapes.

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Materials

• Pencil
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paint
• Paintbrushes
• Paper (either printer paper or card stock)

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Instructions

1. Use a pencil to sketch out a simple design on a piece of cardboard, then cut out your shape. (Easy shapes to try: flowers, fruit, animals, the sun or a tree.)

2. Glue your cut-out cardboard design onto a square-shaped cardboard piece.

3. Brush paint onto your design.

4. Stamp it on a piece of paper.

5. Let it dry, and then it’s ready to go. (Pro tip: you can also mount it onto a card or backdrop.) Once the paint is dry, you can also add markers, colored pencils or Sharpie on top for more texture and detail. Get as creative as you want!

6. Reuse your stamp with new colors, layer paint, layer stamps — the sky’s the limit!

7. Share your art: tag us on Instagram: @pdx_parent and @vibepdx.

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Laura Streib is the founder and director at Vibe of Portland. Founded in 2007, Vibe is an arts and music educational nonprofit committed to making the arts accessible for all in Portland. Vibe has weekly classes, no-school workshops, spring-break workshops and summer camps throughout the year. Check out their complete list of upcoming classes, workshops, camps and events at vibepdx.org.